Section 388.851b - School building; administration and enforcement of act; inspection; methods; plan reviews; delegation of responsibilities; certificate of approval under fire prevention code; scope of act; definitions(1) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the department is responsible for the administration and enforcement of this act and the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act, 1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1501 to 125.1531, in each school building in this state.(2) Except as provided in subsection (5), a school building covered by bond issues that were approved by the department of treasury after July 1, 2003 shall not be constructed, remodeled, or reconstructed in this state until written approval of the plans and specifications is obtained from the department indicating that the school building will be designed and constructed in conformance with the code. This subsection does not apply to any school building for which construction is covered by bond issues that were approved by the department of treasury before July 1, 2003.(3) Responsibility for inspections of school buildings shall be determined by 1 of the following methods:(a) By an independent third party designated in the contract governing the construction, remodeling, or reconstruction of a school building. The independent third party shall be responsible for all inspections required to insure compliance with the code. The school authority shall verify that the independent third party named is knowledgeable about construction practices and codes and is otherwise qualified to conduct the inspections. The name of the independent third party to be responsible for conducting inspections shall be submitted to the department with the plans and specifications required by subsection (2). If the department determines that the independent third party is not qualified to conduct the inspections or is not an independent third party, it shall disapprove of the designation and notify the school authority. All inspection reports prepared by the person designated by the school authority under this subdivision shall be sent to the department upon completion of the inspection. The department may return the report for further work if there are questions relating to the scope of the inspection or whether the construction, remodeling, or reconstruction meets the requirements of the code.(b) If a designation of an independent third party is not made as required under subdivision (a), the inspections required to insure compliance with the code will be performed by the department or as provided under subsection (5).(4) Except as provided in subsection (5), the department shall perform for school buildings all plan reviews within 60 days from the date the plans are filed or considered approved and inspections within 5 business days as required by the code and shall be the enforcing agency for this act.(5) The department shall delegate the responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this act to the applicable agency if both the school board and the governing body of the governmental subdivision have annually certified to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department, that full-time code officials, inspectors, and plan reviewers who are registered under article 10 of the skilled trades regulation act, MCL 339.6001 to 339.6023, will conduct plan reviews and inspections of school buildings.(6) This section does not affect the responsibilities of the bureau of fire services under the fire prevention code, 1941 PA 207, MCL 29.1 to 29.33. The bureau of construction codes and the bureau of fire services in the department shall jointly develop procedures to use the plans and specifications submitted in carrying out the requirements of this act and the fire prevention code, 1941 PA 207, MCL 29.1 to 29.33. A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued by the appropriate code enforcement agency until a certificate of approval is issued under the fire prevention code, 1941 PA 207, MCL 29.1 to 29.33.(7) This section applies to construction, remodeling, or reconstruction of school buildings that are covered by bond issues that were approved by the department of treasury after July 1, 2003. Construction, remodeling, or reconstruction of school buildings that are covered by bond issues approved before July 1, 2003 shall submit the plans and specifications to the department for approval under section 1. The department shall not grant approval until it has received the certification described in section 3 relative to fire safety and from the appropriate health department relative to water supply, sanitation, and food handling.(8) As used in this section: (a) "Code" means the state construction code provided for in the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act, 1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1501 to 125.1531.(b) "Construction" means that term as defined in section 2a of the Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act, 1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1502a.(c) "Department" means the department of licensing and regulatory affairs.Amended by 2016, Act 413,s 1, eff. 4/4/2017.Amended by 2006, Act 199, s 1, eff. 6/19/2006.Add. 2002, Act 628, Imd. Eff. 12/23/2002.